Modern card games have moved beyond the standard 52-card deck, into a realm of complexity that blurs the line between a simple card game and a heavier strategy game. Whatever type of card game you enjoy, there’s sure to be something perfect for you here.
We’ve rounded up all of the best card games for families, adults and two players.
What is the best card game?
Knowing that “best” is very subjective when it comes to games, I choose Munchkin as the best overall. The ever-expanding nature of the game means endless replayability, and it encapsulates everything good about the card game genre. Luck is heavily involved when drawing random cards, but skill is also a factor in how you use those cards to your advantage. Munchkin is a staple at my gaming table and long may it remain so. Deck-building games like Star Realms let you buy and trade cards to create a hand that can defeat your opponent in combat, whereas Munchkin has the feel of a fully fledged board game without using a board or counters.
Because we’re looking solely at card games in this list, I’ve tried not to blur the lines too much. All the games here do not use a board to play, except for scoring, and token use — if any — is limited. Several of them use dice, as that element of luck is often a part of new card games.
Read more: Best Cooperative Board Games for 2023
Munchkin has been around for a long time now, but it’s still a mainstay of our game nights. Imagine playing a game of D&D where everyone only cares about maxing out their characters and you will have some idea of how to play. The goal is to level up to level 10 by defeating monsters and collecting loot. You do this by using your loot to make your character as powerful as possible, or by asking others to help. They won’t always help, but that’s part of the fun.
Because Munchkin is such a beloved game, there’s a huge number of add-ons that take the game from a 30- to 45-minute game all the way up to several hours of monster-killing fun, and it’s played only with cards. It’s almost sure to be “a great time had by all.”
Star Realms is a two-player deck-building game where you spend points to buy spaceships. You then use those ships to damage your opponent. The first one to reach zero hit points loses. It’s a simple idea, but with a huge array of different cards and expansions that add missions, bases and factions, the game can become complex very quickly.
My daughter and I love Star Realms and we play it often; even more, now that it’s available not only in physical form but on your phone, as well.
If you’ve played Rook, euchre or other trick-taking, partner card games, Tichu will be easy to pick up. The cards are fairly traditional (two through Ace), with the addition of four unique cards: the mahjong, the dog, the phoenix and the dragon. Besides these cards, what makes Tichu unique is its blend of card-playing (in addition to single cards, players can play full houses, straights and other combinations) and strategy (before rounds, players must trade cards with partners and opponents).
Tichu has simple mechanics, but a few smart subversions of traditional trick-taking rules turn this great card game into one of the most enjoyable classic-style card games around.
Exploding Kittens is a beloved game among families with children of all ages. The game is simple: Draw your cards, take your aim and avoid the occasional exploding kitten. Players continuously draw various action cards throughout the game and strategize the best way to betray their friends and family.
The best way to find out what this fast-paced card game is all about is to play it yourself. Beware of those exploding kittens lurking in every deck.
Like
- Infinitely replayable
- Easy to travel with
- Loads of variations
Don’t like
- Not waxed cards (can get damaged easily)
When my family and I want to play together but don’t want the hassle of getting a giant board out to play, we normally settle on one of the eight packs of Fluxx we own. Fluxx is a fast-paced, ever-changing card game that starts with a basic set of rules: draw one, play one. From there, everything about the game can be changed — from the goal required to win. to how many cards you pick up each turn.
Fluxx also has a lot of licensing agreements, so it has a ton of variations. From Marvel Fluxx to Spongebob Fluxx and beyond, there’s a version for everyone. There is even a drinking version that has waterproof cards.
